Month: February 2023
6 Essential Benefits of Treating Sleep Apnea at the Early Stage
Based on research, about 37 percent of adults around the globe are suffering from severe obstructive sleep apnea. Often, we see several cases of people who can’t sleep for up to 6 – 8 hours at a stretch without waking up at intervals to complain about breathing. Sleep apnea is among the most common health conditions causing restless sleep, loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, coughing while sleeping, sleep waking, obesity, daytime fatigue, and memory loss among adults. Yet, amazingly, it’s, perhaps, the most underrated. Most people with sleep apnea usually ignore the symptoms of sleep apnea or relate them to other health conditions without attempting any treatment options until the situation gets to a severe level. Amazing fact! When sleep apnea happens, it causes the throat muscles to relax, resulting in a blockage in the airway. At this level, mild sleep apnea patients may begin to experience some mild sleep apnea symptoms that can cause them to stop breathing at intervals when sleeping and make it difficult to fall asleep. Sleep disorders are usually mild at the initial stage. However, untreated sleep apnea may come with severe risk factors putting your daily routines to a halt.. step of treatment. That contributes to the widespread severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among older adults. What Is Sleep Apnea? Sleep apnea occurs in people when the throat muscles relax, causing a blockage in the air passage that sends air in and out of the nose. Sleep apnea happens in various types, as many risk factors can result in difficulty breathing when sleeping. The two major sleep apnea types are central and obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea happens when some parts of the brain don’t function properly and thereby stop breathing when sleeping. Central sleep apnea happens more in children, while obstructive sleep apnea is found to be more in older adults. However, both main types come with similar symptoms, such as loud snoring, mouth breathing when sleeping, nightmare, and more. Why you should treat sleep apnea at the mild stage Sleep apnea is not always a complicated health condition until the patient leaves it untreated, and the situation goes from bad to worse. Amazingly, countless people are struggling with the symptoms of sleep apnea without even attempting to go for treatment. Thus, it goes from snoring and coughing while sleeping to struggling with life. Yes, severe obstructive sleep apnea can stop one from breathing, making one’s night miserable. When you begin to notice difficulties in your sleep, the best thing is to visit a sleep laboratory for a detailed sleep study or invite a sleep specialist for home sleep apnea testing. Undiagnosed sleep apnea may damage your health. It may result in high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and heart attack. From a medical point of view, it is better to go for sleep apnea treatment when the situation is still mild. Late treatment comes with dangers that may affect the patient’s life immensely. Like every other health condition, severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can become life-chocking as it stays untreated. However, you will save yourself from high risks if you seek medical help early. Here are ways to improve your health by addressing sleep apnea symptoms promptly. 6 Benefits of Treating Sleep Apnea Symptoms at the Early Stage 1. Better sleep refreshment One of the difficulties of severe obstructive sleep apnea is that it completely removes your sleep. When the airway is blocked during sleep, it becomes hard to sleep for 8 hours at a stretch. In fact, some sleep apnea patients depend on sleeping pills to have a normal sleep at night. People with sleep apnea would have to stop breathing at intervals, wake up and resume sleeping. As the body keeps waking up and returning to sleep, it prevents you from having a long, deep, enjoyable sleep all through the night. The inability to sleep properly at night will cause daytime sleepiness affecting your daily activities. For example, you may get angry at the slightest mistake, become moody throughout the day, or become dull and weak. Those who had a good night’s rest feel better and have adequate energy to engage in daytime activities Mild sleep apnea patients use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy or other treatments like an oral appliance, bilevel positive airway pressure therapy, and more. 2. Lower risk of developing stroke or heart attack Experts in the medical world have given a fantastic revelation that most people struggling with severe symptoms of sleep apnea are commonly diagnosed with the incidence of hypertension. Those who can get a good night’s rest are less likely to be in danger of hypertension. Precisely, the report claimed that the incidence of stroke and heart problems is five times greater in people with severe obstructive sleep apnea. Early response treatment is an excellent way to prevent sleep apnea. You can treat sleep apnea with a mere change in your sleeping positions or entire lifestyle to free your narrowed airway and improve air pressure. 3. Reduced risk of depression People with severe sleep apnea can experience severe depression. As a matter of fact, experts proved that adults might experience an increased risk of depression as moderate sleep apnea symptoms become more severe. Although, even mild sleep apnea can expose the patient to depression. But, the effect of depression increases when sleep apnea increases. 4. Lower risk of death We are all mortals, suggesting that many things could lead to death when the situation gets severe. Unfortunately, sleep apnea is an underrated health condition that may result in untimely death. By implication, on-time sleep apnea treatment can save you from unexpected death and put you in the appropriate healthy state. Meanwhile, it is easy to ignore sleep apnea symptoms when they are still mild. But, unfortunately, doing that can increase the risk of dying by three times. 5. Reduced risk of diabetes Sleep apnea is a health condition that can increase your risk of developing diabetes when left untreated for a long time.
Read More
Exceptional reasons why you need to clean your CPAP machine
It is no longer news that cleaning and maintaining your CPAP machine is essential. We have heard about how an unclean CPAP mask leads to severe health conditions. Honestly, a sleep specialist will tell you this. That is why one shouldn’t think about using CPAP machines alone. If you use this device, ensure the instruction to use it comes from your doctor or a sleep specialist. We believe if you have a conversation with the doctor, he will tell you how essential it is to clean and maintain your CPAP. All positive airway pressure machines need proper maintenance. So even if the doctor asks you to buy BiPAP or APAP, they all need good care. Hence, you must clean your continuous positive airway pressure machine if you don’t want to contract a dangerous disease. Thus, you need to know how to clean a CPAP machine. First, however, it would be nice to create a piece of background knowledge. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss the meaning of the CPAP machine and then proceed to explain why you need to clean your continuous positive airway pressure machine. What is a CPAP machine? A CPAP machine is a tool that helps people battling sleep apnea to breathe more conveniently while sleeping. It is a unique device for treating obstructive sleep apnea. But, then, what is sleep apnea? Breathing regularly stops and begins when a person is asleep, known as sleep apnea. It has an impact on a person’s daily life and has the potential to be seriously serious. People with sleep apnea may snore loudly or feel exhausted even after a whole night’s sleep. So, if you want a good night’s sleep, you need CPAP treatment. There are several different types of sleep apnea, with obstructive sleep apnea being the most prevalent (OSA). In OSA, the airway closes during sleep or becomes blocked. Compared to the general population, obese people experience it seven times more frequently. Other factors that contribute to obstructive sleep apnea include a wide tongue, swollen tonsils, and inadequate muscle tone in the upper airway. CPAP machines have a nasal mask. And the nasal pillow mask help protect your skin. That is why you need to get the right CPAP machine. You need to talk to your sleep doctor. Also, ensure you get a new CPAP machine. Also, remember the CPAP device you will get must be according to your sleep position. CPAP therapy will make life easier for you. Your doctor may suggest a CPAP machine if you have sleep apnea. To prevent the airway from closing when someone inhales, the equipment boosts the air pressure in the throat. Additionally, CPAP machines reduce snoring, allowing for a more comfortable night’s sleep. However, there are other options like APAP machines and BiPAP machines. How to clean your CPAP machine It is essential to clean your CPAP machine. The first step is to unplug your continuous positive airway pressure machine from the power source. Why do you need to do that? First, you must open your CPAP mask from the mains to avoid unnecessary issues. Secondly, you must disassemble the CPAP machine before washing it. This is because there are several areas in the air tubing or hose that you need to clean properly. And if you don’t disassemble your mask, you may not clean it properly. Therefore, please ensure you disconnect the hose from the mask and the CPAP machine. Thirdly, rinse inside and outside the hose with mild soap and warm water. Then, rinse with warm water and get a towel to air dry the device. You can get more information online on how to clean your CPAP machine. Why do you need to clean the CPAP machine? Forty-eight percent of the samples from most CPAP masks were found to have 2,000 or more bacteria counts after just 48 hours, according to a study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Furthermore, another study found that CPAP users have a 32% higher risk of developing pneumonia, partly because of inadequate CPAP maintenance. Also, Mold, bacteria, viruses, and other dangerous germs thrive in the damp, frequently heated environment of CPAP machines. Regular cleaning of your CPAP machine’s components removes these bacteria and keeps them from building up to harmful levels. But disregarding your CPAP machine’s cleanliness can result in acute and chronic respiratory diseases. In addition, regardless of your hygiene, the cushion and headpiece of your mask will quickly accumulate skin oils. The oil draws dirt and bacteria, and their combination can rapidly cause acne and skin irritation close to your mask. In addition, a dirty CPAP machine will last much less time than one kept clean. Facial oils and dirt can destroy the components that make up your mask, while Mold and dangerous bacteria can break or fog the hose or humidifier tank. CPAP cleaning machine Do you know there are CPAP cleaning machines? Of course, there are. So, what is a CPAP cleaning machine? CPAP cleaners are water-free machines that cleanse CPAP parts with UV radiation or ozone (also known as activated oxygen). The FDA has opposed the sale of such devices and refused to authorize any for this use, citing worries about their effectiveness and safety. Even so, Many CPAP users use these items daily because they believe the advantages outweigh the risks. The ideal approach to clean your CPAP machine is with warm water and mild soap, but if you decide to use a CPAP cleaner, it’s crucial to be aware of its limitations and potential health hazards. Hence, it is essential to routinely hand-wash your CPAP components to eliminate facial oils, dust, and debris, even if you use a CPAP cleaner. CPAP cleaning machine and device warnings Even though there are several at-home CPAP cleaners, the FDA is now cautioning against using them owing to possible health hazards. According to the FDA, breathing in large quantities of the gases produced by household cleaning solutions may raise your risk of developing
Read More
